Fiction > Book editions > London, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

THE JOURXEY IN THE WILDERNESS. 805
" I didn't ask you to call me anything/' returned
Ilastie ! " which is it to be ? "
" That's an idle question/' said the Master. " Needs
must when the devil drives. The truth is we are within
easy walk of the jilacCj and I will show it you to-
morrow."
With that, as if all were quite settled, and settled
exactly to his mind, he walked off to his tent, whither
Secundra had jDreceded him.
I cannot think of these last turns and wrig-g-les of my
old enemy except with admiration; scarce even pity is
ming-led with the sentiment, so strongly the man sup-
ported, so boldly resisted his misfortunes. Even at that
hour, when he perceived himself quite lost, when he
saw he had but effected an exchange of enemies, and
overthrown Harris to set Hastie up, no sign of weakness
appeared in his behaviour, and he withdrew to his tent,
already determined (I must suppose) upon affronting
the incredible hazard of his last expedient, with the
same easy, assured, genteel expression and demeanour as
he might have left a theatre withal to join a supper of
the wits. But doubtless within, if we could see there,
his soul trembled.
Early in the night, word went about the camp that
he was sick ; and the first thing the next morning he
called Hastie to his side, and inquired most anxiously
if he had any skill in medicine. As a matter of fact,
this was a vanity of that fallen divinity student's, to